Why Dani Alves Is Under Most Pressure for Barcelona After Celta Vigo Win

CAMP NOU, Barcelona — Barcelona played football that was beyond spectacular in the 6-1 win over Celta Vigo on Sunday night. But beneath the avalanche of goals, most scored and created by Luis Suarez, Lionel Messi and Neymar, there were problems for Luis Enrique to think about.

Several players turned in poor performances, which seems ridiculous when you look at the scoreline. But the stellar front three stepping up their game in the last 20 minutes, to levels we have not seen before on the football pitch, disguised these issues.

Perhaps that was why the Asturian coach was not particularly impressed in the press conference after the game. "I don't think it was a historic night," said Lucho. "I don't think anything special has happened."

In terms of the team from the midfield down, with the exception of Claudio Bravo, he was right.

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The Chilean stopper got Barcelona out of trouble several times in the first hour, when the midfield and defence faltered. There were notable, glaring errors from Jordi Alba, Javier Mascherano, Gerard Pique, Andres Iniesta and other players.

But the worst performer on the pitch was Dani Alves. And didn't the Brazilian star know it.

"I was annoyed when I went off because I'd had a s--t game... I live football intensely," Alves said, per Spanish football journalist Sid Lowe.

The 32-year-old was clearly frustrated when Luis Enrique hooked him after an hour of the game, an hour in which he and Barcelona had struggled. This is the first time in a long time he has felt the pressure of someone snapping at his heels.

Aleix Vidal is far from the perfect right-back at the moment, but he has put the squeeze on Alves. Martin Montoya and Douglas were no competition for someone who has been a star in the club's most successful period ever.

Pointing out Alves's decline in performance is not disrespectful to him. He did it himself on Sunday night. It would be more disrespectful to gloss over it, implying he can’t sort himself out. He can.

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Last season we saw Alves play badly in a few games before putting in a huge performance when it really mattered. If you look at Barcelona’s key games, he stepped up his level in them.

When it came to crunch clashes like the Clasico at the Camp Nou, the latter rounds of the UEFA Champions League, and so on, Alves delivered. And at the end of it, he got his new contract.

Now he has a different reason to give his best. Former Sevilla man Vidal looks like the better option for Barcelona right now, given Alves’ form.

Against Celta Vigo he gave away the ball several times, was caught out of position and generally looked off the pace. It didn’t help that the men alongside him did too. Going forward he offered little, which is unusual for a player of his creative calibre.

Along with Sergi Roberto, who also had a poor game by his recent standards, when he was removed, Barcelona improved.

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Sport's Javier Miguel rated him at four out of 10, saying: "A bad game from the Brazilian. Lost the ball a lot and his ventures forward didn’t add much danger, leaving space behind him in the right-back position instead. So many errors that Luis Enrique got fed up, replacing him with Aleix Vidal in the 60th minute."

It followed a similarly poor performance against Levante last weekend. Alves was taken off in that game, too, with Barcelona suffering against the daring Liga minnows.

On that occasion, Sport's Javier Giraldo rated him even lower, offering the Brazilian a three out of 10.

He wrote: "A poor performance from the Brazilian: Let down by his passing and switched off in defence. His flank was a way in for the rival players. He allowed Levante to believe and he added little in attack. He was also booked and was taken off in the second half."

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It wouldn’t be a great surprise if Vidal was chosen to start in Alves’ stead in Barcelona’s next clash away at Sporting Gijon.

This isn’t necessarily the end for Alves, merely the start of a new and overdue challenge. More competition should bring the best out of the Brazilian and increased rest should allow him to play at his maximum when he is selected.

We saw it with Xavi Hernandez’s departure—the changing of the guard is emotional, painful but inevitable. Alves’ job now is to try to stave it off.

Quotes obtained firsthand unless specified.